Obama twisted history a bit in Cairo speech, says Max Boot

Obama ... twisted history when, for example, he mentioned how “Islam has
always been a part of America’s story.” He said: “In signing the Treaty of
Tripoli in 1796, our second President John Adams wrote, ‘The United States
has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion or
tranquility of Muslims.’ ” That made the treaty sound like a celebration of
American-Muslim partnership when in reality it was a treaty whereby the
U.S. paid substantial bribes to the ruler of Tripoli in return for a
cessation of attacks on American shipping by his corsairs. Tripoli didn’t
keep its promises, and the result was America’s first overseas conflict —
the Barbary Wars fought against the Muslim states of North Africa.

Should Obama have summarized the real — as opposed to the air-brushed —
history? Probably not. His point wasn’t to settle historical accounts but
to put the best face forward to the Muslim world, and he did that, while
still tactfully criticizing Muslim countries and defending the United
States.